Press Release

Filipinos Across Canada Reiterate Call for Arroyo's Ouster and Denounce Moves for Charter Change

July 26, 2005

n the largest mobilization in Canada against Arroyo, in at least three major cities across Canada, Filipinos rallied to call for the immediate ouster of Philippine President Arroyo and to denounce her moves to change the constitution. In Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto, around 100 Filipinos held actions over the last few days to coincide with protests internationally as Arroyo gave her annual State of the Nation Address (SONA).

In Toronto and Montreal, Filipinos rallied and picketed in front of the offices of the Philippine Consulate, and in Vancouver, rallyists marched through "Filipino-town." The protesters denounced Arroyo's refusal to resign from office and her SONA. Arroyo's speech attempted to divert discussion on the current political crisis and instead pushed for a change to the governing system to a parliamentary system.

"Arroyo did not even comment on the 'Gloria-gate' scandal, which is the worst crisis she has ever faced in her presidency," said Cecilia Diocson, Chairperson of the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC). "She instead tried to divert people's attention towards charter change which is not at all a solution to the problems of Filipinos. Charter change has been pushed ever since the Ramos presidency as a way for the U.S. to enter more freely into Philippine markets," said Diocson.

"The Filipino people cannot be fooled despite the efforts of her spin doctors to paint the past four years as all a bed of roses," added Diocson. "The people can no longer contain their anger and are taking to the streets to voice their protest and push for genuine change," she added.

"Hindi lang electoral fraud o juetengate kundi dapat tingnan natin ang mga fundamental isyu, halimbawa ang kahirapan at gutom ng mga Pilipino," (We should look beyond electoral fraud and illegal gambling, at fundamental issues such as poverty and hunger.) said Ricky Esguerra of the Committee on Action for Social Justice (CASJ) based in Toronto in a statement made in front of the Philippine Consulate in a busy Toronto area known for a high concentration of Filipino nannies.

"Walang ginagawa si Arroyo na kabutihan para sa mga Pilipino kundi puro kahirapan," (Our lives have not improved under Arroyo, only worsened.) said Glecy Duran of SIKLAB (or Flameburst whose acronym in Tagalog stands for Uphold and Advance the Rights of Overseas Filipino Workers) in a rally and march held along Main St. in one of the many 'Filipino-towns' across the Lower Mainland. "As our families back home are having a harder time surviving we are 'modern-day slaves' abroad and serving as the milking cows of a corrupt and illegitmate president," said Duran.

Evelyn Calugay of PINAY based in Montreal said they received positive feedback from their flyer, "Seven reasons why we should oust Arroyo." She said most of those who were responsive were made up of low-wage service and factory workers or domestic workers.

"As Filipino-Canadian youth born in Canada we tie our current experience to the history of the Philippines," said Carlo Sayo of the Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance - Vancouver. "Our parents left the Philippines decades ago for the same reasons that 3000 Filipinos on average leave the Philippines every day currently to find work abroad," said Sayo.

"We denounce the corruption and fascism of the Arroyo government who has been killing and targetting political activists, many of them young people," added Sayo.

Reports from the three cities also indicated that Filipinos in Canada see Arroyo'resignation or ouster as inevitable but wanted to discuss more about the alternatives. The protesters said they would continue to organize rallies, forums and petition-signing in the coming weeks.

In Vancouver, a community forum, *"What's Next After Gloria? The People's Agenda,"* will take place on *Saturday, August 13, 2005* at *2 p.m.* at the *Kalayaan Centre*, *451 Powell St.* in Vancouver.

In Montreal, protesters will circulate flyers and a petition this Sunday, July 30, 2005. An indoor forum will be also held in Toronto in the coming weeks.

The protesters also said they supported the call of BAYAN - an alliance of progressive people's organizations for a transitional council made up of democratic and opposition forces which would pave the way for the next elections.

There are an estimated 500,000 Filipinos in Canada, making them the fourth largest visible minority group in Canada.

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